Summary

  • The Sino-US trade war is a symptom of strategic rivalry and great power transition
  • The trade war has both risks (loss of profit margins for intermediate goods) and opportunities (trade diversion) for the Philippines
  • The Philippines needs to diversify commercial markets and intensify free trade agreements to buffer the impact of trade wars
  • The Philippines should employ means to make the country a more attractive investment destination
  • The Fourth Industrial Revolution in conjunction with the trade war is another major disruptor that the Philippines should anticipate

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About the Author

Aaron Rabena, PhD is Program Convenor and Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress. He is also a former Senior Lecturer at the Asian Center in the University of the Philippines and was a Visiting Fellow at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. His research interests include Strategic Studies, Geopolitics, East Asian International Relations, Political Risk, and Chinese Politics and Foreign Policy.